Shampoo delivery assembly

ABSTRACT

A hair shampoo dispensing assembly for use in beauty salons or the like has a water spray unit coupled with a source of heated water for delivering the same to a point of usage and a separate conduit disposed therewithin coupled with a source of liquid shampoo for delivering a discrete quantity of shampoo to a point of usage coincident with that of the water. The shampoo in the conduit is pre-warmed prior to delivery by the water flowing through the spray unit thereby bringing the shampoo up to a temperature generally the same as that of the water. A selectively actuatable on-off valve is operably coupled with a length of the conduit extending upstream from the spray unit and its attachment to the water source for independently controlling the flow of shampoo.

United States Patent [1 1 Kain 1 June 17, 1975 SHAMPOO DELIVERY ASSEMBLY 22 Filed: Apr. 5, 1974 21 Appl. No.: 458,336

[52] US. Cl. 222/146 HS; 239/139; 239/424.5 [51] Int. Cl. 867d 5/62 [58] Field of Search... 222/146 H, 146 HS, 146 HA; 138/114; 137/337, 340; 239/139, 424, 424.5; 165/155, 164, 36

Primary Examiner-Stanley H. Tollberg Assistant Examiner-John P. Shannon Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Schmidt, Johnson, Hovey & Williams [57] ABSTRACT A hair shampoo dispensing assembly for use in beauty salons or the like has a water spray unit coupled with a source of heated water for delivering the same to a point of usage and a separate conduit disposed therewithin coupled with a source of liquid shampoo for delivering a discrete quantity of shampoo to a point of usage coincident with that of the water. The shampoo in the conduit is pro-warmed prior to delivery by the water flowing through the spray unit thereby bringing the shampoo up to a temperature generally the same as that of the water. A selectively actuatable on-off valve is operably coupled with a length of the conduit extending upstream from the spray unit and its attachment to the water source for independently controlling the flow of shampoo.

6 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJUH 17 1915 SHAMPOO DELIVERY ASSEMBLY This invention relates to an assembly for preheating and delivering a discrete quantity of liquid hair shampoo to a point of usage, such as the head of a beauty salon customer, coincident with a spray of water.

A discomforture frequently experienced by those receiving a hair shampoo is that of having shampoo which has been maintained at room temperature suddenly applied to the head after the same has been washed or rinsed with water at a temperature considerably higher than that of the shampoo. This difference in the relative temperatures of the water and shampoo as they contact the skin, causes an aggravating, although not harmful, shock effect that is undesirable as far as maximum comfort and relaxation of the customer is concerned.

It is, therefore, a very important object of this invention to provide a hair shampoo delivery assembly which permits avoidance of the shock effect caused by temperature differences whenever shampoo is applied to the head of a recipient after the scalp has become acclimated to the warmer temperature of the rinse or washing water.

Another important object of my invention is to provide a shampoo delivery assembly in which the sham poo is brought up to a temperature approaching that of the water used in the shampooing process.

A further significant object of the invention is to provide a shampoo delivery assembly which not only tends to equalize the temperature of the shampoo and the water, but also permits delivery of the shampoo in a discrete stream at a point substantially coincident with that point to which the water is delivered.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a shampoo delivery assembly in which the shampoo is always available for delivery at a point coincident with that at which the water is delivered and which is also provided with a selectively actuatable on-off control device to independently control the flow of the shampoo as required.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, exploded view of a shampoo delivery system made pursuant to the present invention with portions thereof shown in section to reveal details of construction; and

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 22 of FIG. 1 of an on-off control device adapted to control the flow of shampoo.

A shampoo dispensing assembly, broadly designated by the numeral 10, is comprised generally of a selectively shiftable, water spray means 12 coupled in flow communication with a source of heated water represented by a supply line 14 and conduit means 16 coupled with a source of liquid hair shampoo represented by a supply line 18. The line 18 may be in communication with a container (not shown) of shampoo, as for example, of the kind disclosed in my U.S. Letters Pat. No. 3,804,299, dated Apr. 16, 1974, and entitled Automatic Shampoo Mixing And Dispensing System, it being understood that the line 18 is the equivalent of the individual distribution line shown in the abovementioned patent.

Comprising the flow-directing water spray means 12 is a length of flexible hose 20 threadably coupled by way of a releasable connector 22 to an enlarged, chamher-defining tank 24 which is in turn provided with an elbow fitting 26 threadably connected thereto and having a swivel nut 28 for attachment in flow communication with the water supply line 14. Conventionally secured to the distal or remote end of the hose 20 is a water spray unit 30 having the usualhollow body 32 and threaded screw cap 34 provided with a plurality of circularly arranged water spray openings 36 in an end plate 37. A swivel nut 38 secures the hose 20 to the connector 22 at the tank 24.

The tank 24 may be of any suitable lightweight construction capable of receiving a somewhat greater quantity of water than that normally contained in a comparable length of the hose 20. To this end, the tank chosen for illustration is constructed of a plastic material and is comprised of a cylindrical section 40 having opposed end caps 42 and 44 in sealing engagement therewith. For purposes of description, let it be assumed that end cap 42 is at the outlet end of the tank 24 and the cap 44 is at the inlet end of the tank 24 with the connector 22 being threadably received in an end wall 46 of the cap 42 by way of a threaded aperture 48 placing the connection 22, and therefore the hose 20, in communication with a tank chamber 50 defined by the section 40 and the end caps 42 and 44. The threaded fitting 26 is received by a threaded opening 52 extending through the wall of the section 40 and a rim 54 of the end cap 44 thereby placing a longitudinal passageway 56 in a main body 57 of the fitting 26 in communication with the chamber 50.

Located interiorly of the fitting 26 and extending longitudinally along the full length of the passageway 56 is a relatively rigid tube 58 that extends through and beyond an end wall 60 of the fitting 26 to which the tube 58 is affixed. The fitting 26 further includes an elbow defining extension 62, normal to the body 57, having a passageway 64 disposed perpendicular to and in communication with the passageway 56 and which is in communication with the water supply line 14 when the swivel nut 28, carried by the extension 62, is secured to the line 14.

Making up the conduit 16, along with the tube 58, is a stretch 66 of flexible plastic tubing received by a reducer fitting 68 forming a part of the shampoo supply line 18 and slidably received at its opposite end to that section of the tube 58 located exteriorly of the end wall 60 of the fitting 26. Further, a second stretch 70 of tubing is slidably received on the opposite end of the tube 58 interiorly of the passageway 56 and extends through the tank chamber 50, the connector 22, the hose 20 and through the body 32 of the spray unit 30 to a point of termination interiorly of the latter centrally adjacent the plate 37 at which point the stretch 70 is received by a nozzle defining endpiece 72 extending through the plate 37 and secured thereto. Referring to FIG. 1, it will be seen that a portion 74 of the stretch 70 is disposed in the chamber 50 and is of a considerably longer length than the effective length of the chamber 50 itself, and by virtue of such extra length, is coiled or wrapped into a plurality of convolutions 76.

A control device 78 is located on the stretch 66 for purposes of selectively controlling the flow of the shampoo through the conduit 16 and is in the form of a spring-actuated valve comprised of a rectangular plastic body 80 and a push button 82 carried by a spring rod 84 disposed in a cavity of the body 80. The body 80 is, in effect carried by the length 66 by way of a pair of axially aligned, transverse apertures 88 (only one shown) intersecting with the cavity 90 through which a section 92 of the stretch 66 passes and a third transverse aperture 89 through which a second section 94 of the stretch 66 passes, as best shown in FIG. 2. The spring rod 84 normally closes the section 92 by way of a pinching action against a wall 86 of the body 80 but releases the section 92 when pressure is exerted on the push button 82 to force the spring rod 84 away from the length 66 and the wall 86, thus removing the restriction thereon to permit the flow of shampoo therethrough.

Based on the foregoing description, it will thus be readily recognized that a highly convenient and useful assembly has been shown which not only makes it possible to have a supply of hair shampoo readily available along with a source of water during the giving of a shampoo, but also utilizes the warm water to preheat or warm the shampoo prior to its application. During use of the assembly the hot water is received by the flow-directing spray means 12 from the water supply line 14 via the fitting 26 and, as the water courses through the tank 24 and hose to the spray unit 30, the shampoo within the enclosed parts of the conduit 16 is also warmed by virtue of the absorption of heat from the water flowing therepast throughout the entire length of the spray means 12. The extra length of the conduit portion 74 disposed in the tank chamber 50 affords additional time for the shampoo to be warmed during delivery because of the considerably larger volume of warm water past which it is circulated and the fact that the effective length of the portion 70 is significantly greater than the effective length of the tank 24.

It is to be understood that the normal on-off and temperature controls for the water supply are linked with the line 14 and are independently manipulated during operation of this assembly. The shampoo is usually required only intermittently and for a relatively short period of time during the washing process and, to this end, the control device 78 is conveniently located along the length 66 of the conduit means 16 whereby the operator may easily start or stop the flow of shampoo during the course of the washing process simply by pushing the button 82 with the hand, or in certain instances, the control 78 may be mounted near the basin or on a wall in a manner to permit the operator to engage the button 82 with a knee or thigh to remotely control the flow of shampoo without interrupting the shampooing process. While the water is normally shut off during actual application of the shampoo, there is no reason the shampoo could not be dispensed simultaneously with the water if desired.

Not only has this shampoo assembly 10 made possible the convenient application of hair shampoo by a beauty operator simultaneously with the application of water if desired but, has also made it possible to warm the shampoo to a temperature approaching that of the water, thereby eliminating the cold shock on the recipients scalp normally experienced when shampoo is applied after being rinsed with warm water. Thus, a discrete supply of pre-warmed shampoo is constantly at hand utilizing the already available heat source provided by the water and at no appreciable loss of effectiveness as far as the warm water is concerned.

Having thus described my invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A shampoo dispensing system for use in beauty salons or the like, said system comprising:

a source of liquid shampoo;

a source of heated water;

a unitized, selectively shiftable fluid flow directing means coupled with said shampoo source and said water source for simultaneously delivering shampoo and water to a common point of usage;

said flow directing means including a first conduit for water and a second conduit for shampoo, there being respective nozzle means at a distal end of each conduit for discharging shampoo and water from said flow directing means in individually distinct, unmixed streams,

said second conduit having at least a portion thereof disposed within said first conduit and surrounded by the water therein whereby the shampoo in said portion is pre-warmed to a temperature approaching that of said water as the latter flows through said first conduit; and

a selectively actuatable on-off control device operably coupled with said second conduit to independently control the flow of said shampoo therethrough for selectively dispensing a discrete quantity of pre-warmed shampoo at said point of usage concurrently with the delivery of a quantity of water.

2. A system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first and second conduits each include at least one elongated, flexible hose section with the hose section of said first conduit being provided with a spray nozzle and the hose section of said second conduit being provided with a single stream producing nozzle-defining endpiece.

3. A system as set forth in claim 2 wherein the hose section of said second conduit extends through said spray nozzle and terminates exteriorly thereof in said nozzle-defining endpiece with the latter being disposed centrally of said spray nozzle.

4. A system as set forth in claim 2, wherein there is provided an enlarged, chamber-defining tank interposed in said first conduit in flow communication therewith, said second conduit including a stretch disposed interiorly of said tank to permit circulation of said water about said stretch to concurrently heat the shampoo therein as said water flows through the tank.

5. A system as set forth in claim 4, wherein said tank is cylindrically shaped with a water inlet proximal one end and a water outlet disposed at an opposite end, said second conduit entering said tank at said inlet and exiting said tank at said outlet, said stretch being coiled within said tank and having an effective length substantially greater than that of the tank.

6. A system as set forth in claim 5, wherein said tank is disposed between said hose section of said first conduit and said supply of water and wherein said control device is located on said second conduit upstream from said tank intermediate the latter and said supply of shampoo. 

1. A shampoo dispensing system for use in beauty salons or the like, said system comprising: a source of liquid shampoo; a source of heated water; a unitized, selectively shiftable fluid flow directing means coupled with said shampoo source and said water source for simultaneously delivering shampoo and water to a common point of usage; said flow directing means including a first conduit for water and a second conduit for shampoo, there being respective nozzle means at a distal end of each conduit for discharging shampoo and water from said flow directing means in individually distinct, unmixed streams, said second conduit having at least a portion thereof disposed within said first conduit and surrounded by the water therein whereby the shampoo in said portion is pre-warmed to a temperature approaching that of said water as the latter flows through said first conduit; and a selectively actuatable on-off control device operably coupled with said second conduit to independently control the flow of said shampoo therethrough for selectively dispensing a discrete quantity of pre-warmed shampoo at said point of usage concurrently with the delivery of a quantity of water.
 2. A system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first and second conduits each include at least one elongated, flexible hose section with the hose section of said first conduit being provided with a spray nozzle and the hose section of said second conduit being provided with a single stream producing, nozzle-defining endpiece.
 3. A system as set forth in claim 2 wherein the hose section of said second conduit extends through said spray nozzle and terminates exteriorly thereof in said nozzle-defining endpiece with the latter being disposed centrally of said spray nozzle.
 4. A system as set forth in claim 2, wherein there is provided an enlarged, chamber-defining tank interposed in said first conduit in flow communication therewith, said second conduit including a stretch disposed interiorly of said tank to permit circulation of said water about said stretch to concurrently heat the shampoo therein as said water flows through the tank.
 5. A system as set forth in claim 4, wherein said tank is cylindrically shaped with a water inlet proximal one end and a water outlet disposed at an opposite end, said second conduit entering said tank at said inlet and exiting said tank at said outlet, said stretch being coiled within said tank and having an effective length substantially greater than that of the tank.
 6. A system as set forth in claim 5, wherein said tank is disposed between said hose section of said first conduit and said supply of water and wherein said control device is located on said second conduit upstream from said tank intermediate the latter and said supply of shampoo. 